Russia warns conflict near borders may turn nuclear

Steady decline in conventional forces prompts Kremlin to rely more on atomic deterrent

MOSCOW – Russia is facing a heightened risk of being drawn into conflicts at its borders that have the potential of turning nuclear, the nation’s top military officer said Thursday.

Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, cautioned over NATO’s expansion eastward and warned that the risks for Russia to be pulled into local conflicts have “risen sharply.”